Natasha Akpoti protests exclusion from senate panel

Natasha

There was mild drama in the senate on Monday as Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central, protested her alleged exclusion from the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) committee.

Akpoti-Uduaghan arrived at the committee meeting prepared to participate in proceedings but discovered that her name was missing from the official attendance list.

She subsequently sought clarification from the committee clerk and was informed he was in the office of Titus Zam, chairman of the committee.

The Kogi senator proceeded to the Zam’s office, where, during the exchange, she alleged that he indicated his actions were based on “instructions from higher authorities” without providing further details.

Akpoti-Uduaghan described the incident as “part of a recurring pattern of marginalisation”, and noted that all senators are constitutionally equal in status, authority, and mandate.

She questioned the procedural and constitutional basis for her exclusion from a committee whose work directly affects the north-central geopolitical zone. Thecable